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My running goal is simple…just keep it up!

Although every time I go for a run I am glad I did, I have still been struggling to find the motivation to actually get up and do it.

In my head I come up with all sorts of silly excuses.

‘What if I want to workout after work instead?’ – Never going happen, after work I eat, read/watch tv or blog and bed.
‘I don’t want to run that same bit again’ closely followed by ‘but I don’t know what other route to do!’.
‘What if my legs are too sore to do xxx tomorrow’ – I sometimes ache but don’t push it that hard!
…and finally ‘Na I need the extra sleep this morning so I can concentrate at work’ – 1. I don’t need any more sleep because chances are I was asleep by 10pm anyway. 2. It won’t help me concentrate more…if anything the run would help me concentrate better!

I had convinced myself that I needed to set goals and targets and have a plan to reach them in order to get motivated. But I also had no idea what I wanted my goals to be! So this weekend just gone I read blogs and books for beginner runners to find inspiration and tips. And it worked! (for now!)

Yes I would like to be quicker and be able to go further but I am in no rush to achieve any of this. My one goal is just to keep going, get into a routine and just enjoy it and enjoy the benefits. I am doing it to improve my fitness, loss weight, as a hobby and to feel like I am achieving something.

All that reading – and my goal clarity has just set my mind straight. So on Monday morning the alarm went off, and I thought ‘Time to get up and do my first run this week. I will do my regular 5k.’ It rained on me…and I didn’t care. In fact I liked that to passers by I seemed like a ‘hard-core’ serious runner!

On Monday night I read more bits and pieces and although I want to get into a routine, I also don’t want to be bored.

So Tuesday morning my thoughts were ‘Second day running. I think I will go the other way around the park and go for it on that hill!’. I didn’t mind if I couldn’t make it up the hill. I wasn’t scared of failing if I had to walk up instead. And you know what?…I got up that hill! It felt good.

Obviously the running I have been doing recently has improved my fitness more than I already realised. I have found a comfortable pace and although its rather slow it means I could keep going the whole way…including the hill! I actually felt really proud of myself!

I run with my iPod Nano, and the above is what the Nike+ on it recorded for Tuesday.

My head is now in the right place to keep going with it! Long term goal – just run regularly. I will try to keep my motivation up by every so often changing my route to include another hill. Or doing an extra km. Or running the last mile a bit quicker. I may even be brave one day and try intervals.

But it doesn’t matter what I do as long as I keep going! I realise this may sound as though I really hate it, and you may think if I don’t have a big goal to achieve then why keep doing it? But I honestly don’t hate it. I like it. My issue isn’t with running itself. It is with me not being able to commit to it.

PLUS it helps me get my body magic awards at Slimming World. Last week I got the first one which is the bronze and I am already doing enough to be on track for my silver! Woo Hoo!

2 Responses to My running goal is simple…just keep it up!

Well done for the hill! Whoop! I find if I don’t workout for a few days I lose the motivation & it’s hard to get myself to get back into it. But it makes me feel so much better so I focus on the feeling I get afterwards. Pretend Jillian is there shouting at you to get out of bed! Oh, and focus on how you want to look when you’re slimmer/healthier…! PS – Heels still bad so no running just yet!

About The Author

My name is Sarah. I am 28 and Mom to the gorgeous Lara. This blog is about my general day to day life. What I get up to, my thoughts and anything else I think of to write about. Grab a cup of tea and enjoy.